Koeman explains Dutch revival

"I always believed I could improve things"

When Ronald Koeman became Netherlands coach last February, he found a football nation wallowing in misery. And with the long faces came an even longer list of problems.

Koeman also faced the most daunting start imaginable: a UEFA Nations League group with the reigning world champions and their soon-to-be successors. But he embraced that challenge, and a year that promised to be an unmitigated disaster became an unlikely triumph.

Topping that section ahead of France and Germany, and doing so in some style, has transformed the national outlook. Add Ajax’s recent UEFA Champions League conquests to the mix and it’s easy to see why Dutch desolation has been replaced by rejuvenation.

It was, therefore, an understandably upbeat Koeman who spoke to FIFA.com ahead of his side’s opening UEFA EURO 2020 qualifiers.

When Ronald Koeman became Netherlands coach last February, he found a football nation wallowing in misery. And with the long faces came an even longer list of problems.

Koeman also faced the most daunting start imaginable: a UEFA Nations League group with the reigning world champions and their soon-to-be successors. But he embraced that challenge, and a year that promised to be an unmitigated disaster became an unlikely triumph.

Topping that section ahead of France and Germany, and doing so in some style, has transformed the national outlook. Add Ajax’s recent UEFA Champions League conquests to the mix and it’s easy to see why Dutch desolation has been replaced by rejuvenation.

It was, therefore, an understandably upbeat Koeman who spoke to FIFA.com ahead of his side’s opening UEFA EURO 2020 qualifiers.

Conor McGregor, from 'goal machine' to 'the Notorious'

McGregor

World Football

"Cristiano Ronaldo is a phenomenal athlete"

They call him ‘Mystic Mac’. A young Conor McGregor foresaw he would be earning megabucks as a pro sportsman. While the Irishman assumed that would be rippling nets on muddy fields, however, it’s actually within mixed martial arts octagons.

He’s been pushing boundaries ever since. He became the first man in history to hold two UFC titles simultaneously. His professional boxing debut, against Floyd Mayweather, is the second biggest-selling fight in history. Forbes listed McGregor as the 12th-highest-earning entertainer of 2018, while he's just come fifth on ESPN's World Frame 100.

'The Notorious', who attended the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Final, billionaire strutted his way across a series of topics, including whether he could have made it as a footballer, Sir Alex Ferguson, Paul Pogba, Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

They call him ‘Mystic Mac’. A young Conor McGregor foresaw he would be helping to earn him megabucks as a pro sportsman. While the Irishman assumed that would be rippling nets on muddy fields, however, it’s actually within mixed martial arts octagons.

He’s been pushing boundaries ever since. He became the first man in history to hold two UFC titles simultaneously. His professional boxing debut, against Floyd Mayweather, is the second biggest-selling fight in history. Forbes listed McGregor as the 12th-highest-earning entertainer of 2018, while he's just come fifth on ESPN's World Frame 100.

'The Notorious', who attended the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Final, billionaire strutted his way across a series of topics, including whether he could have made it as a footballer, Sir Alex Ferguson, Paul Pogba, Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

I respect Zlatan and his positive-winning-mentality mindset, but let’s get this straight: there is only one Conor McGregor!

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Lagerback out to lead Norway back to the spotlight

LAGERBACK

Norway

"You should never underestimate leadership"

When it comes to expertise in Nordic football, few can match Lars Lagerback.

Having spent almost a decade at the helm of his native Sweden, taking them to the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups™, he then helped lead Iceland to their first ever major championship at UEFA EURO 2016. Sandwiched in between was a 2010 World Cup campaign with Nigeria.

Now the 70-year-old tactician is reviving the fortunes of Norway, having taken over in 2017. Topping their UEFA Nations League section has earned the Norwegians a long-awaited return to the spotlight as they prepare to start their EURO 2020 qualifying campaign with an imposing double-header against Spain and Sweden.

FIFA.com caught up with Lagerback to talk about his transformation of Norway - 2018 being their best year in terms of results since 1929 - as well as coaching philosophies and the challenge of facing his homeland.

When it comes to expertise in Nordic football, few can match Lars Lagerback.

Having spent almost a decade at the helm of his native Sweden, taking them to the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups™, he then helped lead Iceland to their first ever major championship at UEFA EURO 2016. Sandwiched in between was a 2010 World Cup campaign with Nigeria.

Now the 70-year-old tactician is reviving the fortunes of Norway, having taken over in 2017. Topping their UEFA Nations League section has earned the Norwegians a long-awaited return to the spotlight.

FIFA.com caught up with Lagerback to talk about his transformation of Norway - 2018 being their best year in terms of results since 1929 - as well as coaching philosophies and the challenge of facing his homeland.

The coach I have the most respect for whom I’ve met is Pep Guardiola. That’s definitely a coach who has a special form of leadership.

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PANICO POINTS THE WAY FOR FUTURE GENERATION

PANICO

FIFA Women's World Cup

"I had to prove that girls can play football"

Some trailblazers inspire a generation. There is no doubt that Patrizia Panico has moved thousands of youngsters to recreate her goals – more than a hundred of which she scored for her country’s national team – in playgrounds across her native Italy.

Now, she is blazing a fresh trail, as coach of the Italian men’s U-15 national side, one of very few women’s coaches working in an international set-up in the men’s game.

With Italy preparing to head to their first FIFA Women’s World Cup™ since USA 1999, FIFA.com sat down with Panico to cast her mind back to that tournament, where she – naturally - scored twice. We also looked ahead to Gli Azzurri’s chances at France 2019 and discussed her current role.

Some trailblazers inspire a generation. There is no doubt that Patrizia Panico has moved thousands of youngsters to recreate her goals – more than a hundred of which she scored for her country’s national team – in playgrounds across her native Italy.

Now, she is blazing a fresh trail, as coach of the Italian men’s U-15 national side, one of very few women’s coaches working in an international set-up in the men’s game.

With Italy preparing to head to their first FIFA Women’s World Cup™ since USA 1999, FIFA.com sat down with Panico to cast her mind back to that tournament, where she – naturally - scored twice. We also looked ahead to Gli Azzurri’s chances at France 2019 and discussed her current role.

I think the correct thing would be to say that I want to coach professionals. Then it makes no difference whether those professionals are men or women. That’s how I feel it. And from there a whole world opens up. I don’t think there should be any differentiation.